Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-07-08
BEULAH'S WEDDING-DAY.

OF a Russian aspect lie was handsome.
elegant, and about 80 years OF age.
Been to the wedding, Mrs. CrosbyY
said one And did il not 20 of welli
And was the bride as pretty and the groom
rs unimportant rs usual? \ man is never
20 entirely overlooked rs at his own wed.
ding. unless, indeed, his mother is there &c
wonder why so fine fellow chose such
girl.
lie. he" laughed Airs. Crosby. What
n man YOU are for jokes, Alr. Fentonl
Well his mother wasn't there, assure
YOU, for she must hc too old TO get about,
If she's living He's 80 | am told. Tc
think of u woman OF - accepting such an
old crcalurcI
But he's rich, said Boniface. "She'll
be "a darling widow in year or 80. one
of our bellies sir, addressing the stranger.
of whom We have spoken. Miss Beuah
Blair. DR.. Blair's only daughter, MS pretty
a yOung lady as the sun shines on.
Every one as the table noticed the siran'
gers face rs this communication fell CD
his ear. Ills rudy color faded. bjs eyes
dilatcd; he SAT There as white as though
smittcn with death; for 4 moment he die
not speak
The blood rushed back 90 his face finally.
He lifted the glass at his plate la thG air.
"A health to the bride, he cried, and
long life to the bridegroom.
They drank the toast, one or two oil
thcm forming the opinion that this fur
coated granger was some great tragcdian,
WHO had ic.o, 30 20 astonish them.
They dispersed away D. ihcir own duties
- pleasures when The meal was 90. -
assembled "a he ROOM y which his ltggage
-. Necn carried Ills sudden palfor bad
h bo'I no oc,, - trie.. IN hsa5 lad fo q
'"Nc'! ms OilcCA al ,nc -~"cts w.
emotion. From distant lanas.
had toiled for nine long years 10 win fame
and fortune. he had returned crowned with
success, to marry precisely this Bculab
Blair-this bride Of the old man of 50
She had vowed herself to him, worn his
ring, written 10 him tcndcrcst Of love.
letters and Tilted him at last, that is if
ih-s, people spoke the truth He is not
one TO 80 away without making sure there
was no mistake about that. Wrapping
himself mp IN his fur coat. hc stalkcd out
Of the house into the long village street
and took lis way To the Wcll-known spot.
tic garden gate from which years before
DR.. Blair had ridden him depart, rcproach-
inc him for his audacity in couriing his
only daughicr-hc poor and young, and
without prospects. But She had met him
In the bit Of woodland they knew so well
and vowed fidelity. Was thi, the end of
il all?
so it seemed The house was al abaze
viii light. and approaching the low win.
doWs which opened on HE garden She saw
hcr-Bculah, his Bculah, as he had so
often called her
She stood there in her bridal dress. her
rich veil falling 10 her feet. shading but
not conccaling her lovely face and haIr
and tho exquisite outline Of her figure.
Returning 10 the hotel he wrote a long
and bitter letter, full OF reproachcs and oil
sarcasm, posted il and paid his bill. BE
fore daylight the handsome stranger had
left the town behind him. He sought in
travel the peace which no man ever vet
found save in his own heart.
lie remnued away five years Al the
end of that time he returned He had left
his homc-thc home TO which he had
hoped to return with his bridc-iust rs it
had baea arranged, merely locking and
barring windows and doors. There VA.
lctter-boN at The entrance, and papers had
been thrust from without, for he had left
no addre.- behind him.
Turning thC.c over with careless hand
he came 20 one addressed in Bculah's writ 7
ing. How well he knew IT, She had then
replied to his letter. With trembling
hand he tore ii open and read these words:
DEtR ARCHIBALD; Yes, always dear 10 me. (
Iiad deserved your rcpruachc~ ] should not
write these words. They told INC YOU were
married 10 woman 81 fortune ana titlc-a
German countess. believed them | married
whom they chose 10 give me TO-. / thought nv
old husband kind aud worthy He died sud-
denly a week after our wedding day, and in his .
desk found your letters. which he had pur- J
Joined and sccrcted. and also proof Of the con- +
spiraCy 10y which hc had forced me 10 believe
) ou were married 10 another. shall strive to
forgive him. but do not know that II will be- in .
my power Your unhappy BEULAH.
The date was that Of nearly five years
before. Even at that period he had loved .
her still, but he had so carefully taught .
himself TO despise aud hate her that the .
letter seemed nj first TO have no cilcctupon .
lin.
The train bore him swiftly 10 Great
The old stage carried him 1
TO the hotel II was dinner time. Again .
the ailablc landlord sat at the head of his .
table. lie recognized his guest at once
Great Mumpington does not change
much, sir" he said. There was wed .
ding here the day YOU spent with us. DO
you rcmombcr!-Dr. Blairs daughter
married a rich man of So Well, sir, he
died within a week, and in looking over
his papers they found something that
proved him a rascal The brides father
was in the affair. 1t was a mystery TO us
oil. But the lady showed great spirit.
She refused to touch a penny Of old Rob
incts money end che has also left her
fathers house Since thea che Lac sup.
ported hclsclf Ivy sewing. She lives IN
little twoToomed house on the West road,
near tie Eagle Rock. I'm afraid her life
IS IA hard one
Later Archibald Barton walked in the
along the r0ad that ran past
Eagle Rock. lie knew the littlg two
roomed cottage well. A light burned
within. Across The lower panes of the
window hung white muslin curtain.
Approaching, he looked over the top
and saw . woman bending over some
lccdicwork IL was I}Wlal's fair head
The simplicity of las ar,anecmcni only
lddcd 10 The beauty IF hcr splcpdia Lai,.
Her cotton gown Of in1'ao blue Au4oncd
10 the throat, made her shR more pcaly
IN its tints She WAS ihcrc-his only love
-swcctcr, lovclicr dcarcr than ever. lie